Love, Marriage, and More
by Marble Meadow
Summary: Severus and Hermione are celebrating their ten year anniversary when they are interrupted by a child's cries. Whatever shall they do?


Written for the 10 year anniversary community of Celebrate SSHG on Live Journal.

Prompt: Severus and Hermione find a baby on their doorstep.

Hermione woke at her usual time. It was still dark outside and the birds had not yet begun their song. She slipped out of bed, careful not to wake Severus, who had come in late last night from brewing. She finished her ablutions in the loo before padding her way downstairs to put on the kettle.

It was the same routine, day after day. It didn't matter if it was Tuesday or Sunday. Their lives revolved around the running of their Apothecary. It had been a satisfactory arrangement at first – Hermione graduated from Hogwart's and apprenticed with the very best Potion's Master Great Britain had to offer. In return for putting up with her, Severus was awarded a hardworking, studious and diligent assistant whom he could actually count on to keep things the way that he liked them to be. After the first few weeks she learned to hold her tongue (for the most part) and it made their arrangement that much more exemplary.

Two years later, Hermione was tested, passed with flying colors, and announced a Potion's Mistress. It had pleased her immensely to finally earn the approval of her staunch and stoic Professor. But later, while she packed her things, she realized that she wasn't happy to have finally graduated at all. She wanted more than anything to stay with Severus, who had won her heart without even realizing it.

Unbeknownst to her, she had gotten under his skin as well. He didn't want to let her go either. During a teary farewell that ended in a heated argument with wands drawn, they had both confessed their feelings. And the rest, as they say, was history. Or was it?

They had been married now for ten years, on the day. Hermione stood with a steaming cuppa in her hands staring out the window as the world outside slowly woke. She thought about the last ten years with Severus at her side. They had an excellent relationship. They didn't fight over much of anything at all. They worked together like a well oiled machine, and the Apothecary was doing quite well. Hermione wasn't the homemaker type and Severus didn't mind that at all – they had a woman who came to tend the house once a week. They owned their small but cozy home outright and had no outstanding debts to anyone. They had a small circle of friends who had come to accept their relationship and held a dinner once a month for everyone at their home. Their relationship in the bedroom far exceeded her wildest expectations. They took bi-annual vacations that let them travel the world. But there was something missing, and as much as Hermione didn't want to acknowledge it – it was still there.

"Why so pensive, love?"

Severus looped his arms around his wife and kissed the top of her frizzy head.

"Did you know it's been ten years since we were married?" Hermione asked, wonder in her voice.

"I can count, you know," Severus said mockingly before kissing her earlobe.

"Sev… stop that. You know what that does to me," Hermione protested, feeling warmth radiating through her body.

He didn't respond but continued his assault on her ear as his hands crept around to cup her breasts.

Hermione let out a moan and pushed back against him, feeling his arousal through her bathrobe.

"Now look who isn't playing fair," Severus said huskily as he lifted his wife's robe. He adjusted himself to fit at her entrance and then pushed himself inside.

They both groaned at the contact. Hermione braced herself against the counter as Severus made love to her.

Twenty minutes later, a blushing Hermione served a smirking Severus a cup of tea. They relaxed at their small in kitchen dining table in comfortable silence.

"You never did answer my question," Severus said after his second cup of tea.

Hermione shook her head. "I know. I was just thinking about our life together, all of the good things that we have."

"It didn't look like you were thinking good things," Severus commented, studying her across the table.

"Truly – I was thinking about the good things. It's just that I feel like something is missing," she nervously admitted.

Severus pushed his cup out of the way and reached for her hand. She let him take it.

"What is it that you think is missing?" Severus asked.

Hermione frowned. "I just keep feeling this sort of emptiness. It's similar to that feeling that I've forgotten something," she said, not wanting to voice it aloud.

Severus frowned, not liking seeing his wife unhappy. "You have no idea what it is? No inkling?"

She shook her head, avoiding his eyes.

He knew her too well to let her get away with whatever it was that she was keeping from him.

"Hermione, you can tell me anything – you know that. When did this feeling start?"

Hermione sighed, her stomach twisted in knots. "I was visiting Ginny and we were watching Harry playing with the boys in the yard. She hadn't yet had little Sophie. She was telling me that she never minded giving up her Quidditch career – that she had never been happier. That night I came home and felt like something was missing in my life."

Severus sucked in a breath of air. "_Children_."

Hermione batted her hand in denial. "No – of course not. I've never wanted children, Severus. We both decided – together, that we wanted careers. We wanted to travel. I love my life, Severus."

"I know you do. But it's only natural that your body should crave a child, even if you haven't consciously wished for it," Severus said. "You're only 30, love."

Hermione crossed her arms. "Well – it's perfectly ridiculous. I'll just have to get over it."

Severus ached for her. He could see that her denial was a smokescreen. But it was impossible – her dream. He'd never before had reason to bring up his shortcoming in that area.

"Hermione, I need to confess something. I've never had cause to bring it up – until now. Even if you were willing, my love, I could not provide that for you. The Dark Lord has made that quite impossible."

"Severus – what do you mean? What happened?"

"I am incapable of producing heirs. Many of the Potions I produced for him during the war had to be tested on someone. Usually we procured Muggles for the experiments but on certain occasions, only a Wizard or Witch would do. And that sometimes meant me."

Hermione looked at her husband sadly still with a heavy knot in her stomach. "That's so unfair."

"It is what it is. I do not think the Dark Lord ever thought I'd want to be a Father, let alone marry someone. Even if I had – I don't think it would have mattered one whit to him if it interfered with his wishes."

Hermione thought of her question carefully. "So – when you told me you didn't want children…"

"That was my way of telling you I couldn't have them. I needed you to be aware of what lay ahead. If you were hoping for a brood of frizzy headed, black eyed children with abnormally large noses, our relationship would have been doomed from the start."

Hermione shuddered. "A brood of children – no thank you. I never knew how Molly did it. Putting up with all their shenanigans night and day - honestly!"

Severus placed his hand over hers. It was easy to read the truth in her eyes. "But things have changed for you. You wish to have a child."

Hermione closed her eyes, trying to pull herself together. "Well – I suppose that's just not going to be part of our future. We decided, years ago, that we would be our own family, just the two of us. I am happy with you, Severus. I wouldn't change these last ten years for anything."

He stared at her and gave her a small, rare smile. He was blessed to have his wife.

Hermione stood up from the table. "I should dress – get ready to open the shop."

Severus watched her go, holding her pride around her like a protective shield. He knew her well enough to know that she would never again bring this up – to protect his feelings, no doubt. But he was not happy with solutions that involved ignoring a problem until it became too large to deal with. He just wasn't sure if there was anything that could be done.

He pushed away from the table and went into the lab. There existed many potions to increase fertility in wizards and witches – but there was always something to hold onto, a spark, a tiny bit of life that was inherently a part of the person. The potion that he'd been forced to ingest all those years ago was meant to cause lifelong sterility. Every charm he'd ever used had shown no hint of impending life. He knew the potion had worked – he'd created it.

He sat on a stool and thought about the particulars of that potion. He went over the instruments used in crafting it, the materials, and the methods. Some scholars believed that there was a way of working backwards – taking the final product and breaking it down into smaller and smaller portions and manipulating them until a counter to the original had been created.

Severus hated working backwards. He was by nature an innovator in his field. He created potions and he created spells. He took what others had done and made it better.

He sighed, deeply troubled. He knew that he would do this for her – he would do anything in his power to make her happy. He just wasn't sure it was possible. He knew he couldn't get her hopes up – not without it being a complete success.

He pulled out a scroll of parchment and began to write. Owning an apothecary made getting ingredients much easier. Most of what he needed was stocked at the shop. He just needed to figure out a way of taking some of the inventory without Hermione noticing.

That would be a trick indeed. Of course – he could always bend the truth a bit, tell her only that he was creating a potion and Could Not Be Disturbed. She wouldn't be as pesky in that event. She knew to leave him alone when he was in the first few stages of brewing something new.

He decided to gather the first set of ingredients at the shop while Hermione went on her lunch break. Hopefully there wouldn't be too many dunderheads about requiring assistance. He was never good at interacting with customers, particularly Hogwart's students. Just the sight of those robes put him in a foul temper.

Hermione made it easy for him – she was going to have lunch with Ginerva. He knew that she'd be out for a good hour and a half. The shop was slow and he was able to gather everything he needed easily. No students in sight made for a pleasurable time indeed. When she came back from lunch he informed her he was working on a secret project.

"You haven't forgotten our dinner reservations?" Hermione asked pointedly.

Severus grimaced. "Yes, dinner for two at Chez Malfoy, eight o'clock sharp."

Hermione smiled broadly. "Do try to have a good time tonight. It is our tenth anniversary."

Severus hushed her with a kiss and swept from the shop in a seeming hurry.

Hermione watched him go suspiciously. Her instincts were telling her something was up. She chalked it up to being an anniversary surprise. Perhaps he'd forgotten and had to find something suitable before dinner. She pushed it from her mind and hurried to assist one of the shop's most elderly patrons.

The rest of the day flew by. Before she knew it Hermione was on her way home to dress for dinner. She found the house empty and realized Severus had to be out back in the lab. She sighed and went about her business. She took a leisurely bath, filling the tub with bubbles. She let the hot water relax her tense muscles. When the water began to cool she got out of the tub and let the bath drain. She took her time doing her hair and makeup before slipping into the 20's style flapper dress she'd gotten for the occasion. It was short and tight with slinky black fringe everywhere that moved with her body. It wasn't any match for Severus' robes of course, but it would have to do. Last, she put on a pair of ruby drop earrings that Severus had given her for last year's anniversary gift. She spritzed her throat with a special perfume she'd created herself before heading downstairs.

Severus was hard at work when he heard the knock at the door of the lab. Feeling frustrated and not particularly in the mood to go out, he set one burner to low and placed a glass stirring rod in a cleaning solution in the sink. His nasty mood lifted when he saw his wife.

She was positively radiant, her skin was glowing in the lamplight and that dress was nothing short of a siren's call. He growled appreciatively and pulled her to him, kissing her hard on the lips. He wanted nothing more than to pick her up and carry her upstairs but she reminded him that they were going to be late.

"I'd rather eat you, my dear," Severus said silkily in her ear.

She shuddered. "I'll hold you to that later."

Severus kissed her again before stepping away from her. "Give me a few moments and I shall be ready."

True to his word, Severus had readied himself – with the help of several spells, of course- and was downstairs a few minutes later. His wife on his arm, he readied his wand to apparate them to Malfoy's stuffy establishment when an odd sound gave him pause.

"Do you hear that?" Severus asked.

Hermione listened. "Yes – what on earth is that?"

Severus stepped away from her but kept his wand at the ready. He stalked stealthily around the house, and followed the sound, which led to his front door. He checked the peephole but didn't see anything.

"It's right outside the door," he told Hermione.

"Maybe it's a cat in estrus – that crying," she said in response.

"Perhaps," Severus considered, "Wand at the ready."

She pulled her wand from the invisible sheath strapped to her thigh, holding it high and ready.

Severus pulled the door open with a good amount of force and stepped out, a menacing sneer on his lips. His foot nudged something and he looked down.

"This has got to be a joke."

"What is it, Severus?"

He moved out of the way so his wife could see.

She gasped. "Who would leave a baby on our doorstep?"

Severus stepped around the infant and walked down the steps to the street, gazing in all directions. He cast a detection spell but no one was lurking about. He turned to Hermione, for once at a loss of what to do.

She knelt down, and picked up the infant gingerly, being careful to support the head. Ginny had drilled that into her long ago.

"What do we do?" Hermione asked breathlessly.

"Well – we need to alert the authorities immediately," Severus said.

Hermione nodded. "Okay, you do it."

The infant had stopped crying and was staring wide-eyed at her. She stared back.

Severus guided her into the house and closed the door behind them. He went straight to the Floo and fire-called the Ministry. After a series of transfers he finally was able to talk to Milicent Pilfington, the Witch in charge of the Ministry run Orphanage.

He explained the situation to her.

She sighed. "You do realize that our funding has been cut drastically, Mr. Snape. We're overflowing with unwanted squibs, and those with medical necessities. Does the child appear to be in sound health?"

Severus looked back at Hermione who shrugged.

Severus turned back. "It appears to be healthy – but we're not medically trained to make such a judgment, madam."

She waved her hand in the air. "Acknowledged. I can arrange an appointment for tomorrow morning at St. Mungo's for the child. For the time being, until we can find a foster family, I'm afraid the infant is going to be placed temporarily in your custody."

Severus sputtered. "You can hardly expect us to take full responsibility for a child that was dropped on our stoop!"

"You seem to be perfectly fit as far as I can tell. You worked with children at Hogwart's for how many years, Mr. Snape?"

Severus sneered. "Twenty four long, miserable years."

"Ah, yes. And your wife? The former Ms. Hermione Granger? War heroine? Top in her class?"

Severus nodded. "But that hardly makes us qualified…"

"On the contrary," Mrs. Pilfington stated, "it makes you the perfect choice for the time being. I'll set the appointment time for ten o'clock tomorrow. Good evening."

Severus took a moment to compose himself before turning to his wife.

"I suppose our dinner reservations are out the window," Hermione said thoughtfully. "We'll have to transfigure some furniture and you'll need to go to the grocer's and pick up some formula. If you hold the baby, I can write you a list."

Severus held his arms out and Hermione placed the child in his arms. Something in his chest tightened.

Hermione didn't notice that Severus had gone stiff as a board but wrote out a long and detailed list of the things he'd need to purchase.

He was relieved when she came back and reclaimed the child, placing a list in his hand instead. That, he could deal with. He kissed her on the cheek before stepping outside the house, warding the door behind him. He couldn't believe how this day had gone and it was far from over.

Severus felt like an idiot. He had been standing in the aisle with a huge assortment of baby products for twenty minutes. There were too many choices. He read the labels of several varieties of formula but still wasn't certain as to what would be the best for the child. And of course, the child would need diapers and other items as well. He eyed the boxes with suspicion. Each featured a happy looking toddler waddling around. He didn't know what size to get. In a huff he loaded a basket with every size diaper and one of each type of formula. He threw several other items in the cart as well for good measure.

He felt like a monumental fool while checking out. The clerk seemed surprised at the sheer volume and variety of the things he was purchasing but wisely held his tongue. Severus was now in a very foul mood as he exited the store. He shrank the packages and returned home.

A frazzled looking Hermione met him at the door. "What took you so long?"

A wailing child caused Severus to cringe. He took out the packages and returned them to their normal size.

Hermione's mouth dropped open. She couldn't help it. A giggle escaped her before she tamped her mouth shut.

Severus looked at her with an arched brow. "You may as well let it out."

Hermione laughed. She laughed so hard tears pricked the corners of her eyes.

Severus remained stoic, appraising his chortling wife. When she'd finished and had wiped her eyes on her sleeve he addressed her. "I do not believe you could have done better."

She regarded him, still smiling. "You're probably right. Well, you go mix up a bottle of formula and I'll change the little tyke."

Severus nodded. He could do that. He picked one of the formula tins and reading the directions, meticulously prepared a bottle. He made sure the temperature and consistency was perfect before presenting the bottle to his wife.

"Would you mind terribly if you fed her? I need to change out of these clothes. I'll be right back."

Severus frowned but took the crying infant into his arms. He sat on the sofa, cradling the child and placed the bottle into its mouth. It took a few moments but soon the baby was happily suckling the formula. The house was eerily quiet other than the slurping noises the child was making.

Hermione went upstairs and slipped out of her evening dress, putting on sensible jeans and a sweater. She tied her hair back and returned to the parlor where Severus was feeding the babe.

She sucked in a breath at the site of her husband holding the infant. Something in her lower abdomen clenched and she felt odd pangs in her chest.

Severus hadn't taken his eyes off the babe but continued to hold the bottle until the infant released the nipple from her mouth.

Hermione walked into the room. "I'll burp her, unless you wanted to?"

Severus looked horrified at the prospect. "I'd rather not."

Hermione grinned, and then took the girl from Severus. She walked into the kitchen and put a dish towel over her shoulder the way she'd seen Ginny do so many times before. She gently patted the baby on the back.

It took several minutes but finally the baby burped and Hermione was able to cradle her again. She sat down on the sofa and looked down at the now sleeping child. She was beautiful.

She didn't know how long she sat that way, just staring in wonder at the new life she held in her hands. Unbeknownst to her, Severus had been staring at her for quite awhile.

He looked at his wife and could clearly see how happy she was. Her face was lit up like it was Christmas morning. She looked so natural, holding the baby.

As terrifying as this whole ordeal was – Severus was happy for his wife. Happy that she could experience this.

Of course, it would soon come to an end. The child's family had to be located – or the Ministry would take custody and then things would go back to the way they were before.

Severus wanted nothing more than to give his wife what she truly wanted. Even if it meant he'd have to be a father.

The word "father" was like a punch to the stomach. For a moment, Severus felt like he couldn't breathe as he was assaulted with memories that seemed to have taken place a lifetime ago – or perhaps mere minutes. It was so clear – the vision of himself, skinny and terrified, hiding in the closet while he heard his mother's screams…

He shook himself out of the memory, focusing instead on his wife's face. His breathing returned to normal. No matter what had happened before, he had made vows to her – he had promised her that he would try his best to make her happy. And he knew he would never be the way that his father had been to him and his mother. He would never raise his hand or wand toward his wife in anger.

Feeling a bit more resolved about the situation, Severus walked into the room and sat beside Hermione.

She looked over at him, noticing how relaxed he looked, despite the situation at hand. She couldn't believe that he was handling it this well.

"So our appointment at St. Mungo's is for ten?" she asked, breaking the silence.

He looked over at her. "Yes."

"Do you think, if she's healthy, that we will have custody of her?" Hermione asked.

He stared at his wife for a moment before answering. "Most likely. The orphanage is fairly full at the moment. We may have to wait for a spot to open up."

Hermione glanced down at the sleeping girl. "What if a spot doesn't open up? What if…"

"It's getting late," Severus interrupted her before she could finish. "We should probably get some sleep. We still have to open the shop tomorrow."

Hermione nodded. "If you can transfigure a basinet for her, I can put her to sleep."

Severus took a handkerchief from his pocket and placed it on the floor. With a flourish of his wand, he'd transfigured a beautiful albeit old-fashioned looking basinet. It was complete with downy soft linens in a light cream color.

"It's perfect," Hermione breathed, "But we'll have to take it upstairs to our bedroom."

Severus groaned. "It's sleeping with us too?"

Hermione gave him a look that clearly told him not to argue.

With a very put upon scowl, Severus carried the basinet up the stairs and into their bedroom. He walked immediately toward the side of the room farthest from the bed and placed it under the window. He studied the arrangement but for a moment before sighing and moving it to the end of their bed, much closer to the fireplace. He didn't need the child getting sick before the doctor's appointment after all.

Hermione locked up downstairs, placing the regular wards before climbing the stairs to the bedroom. She smiled as she saw where the basinet had been placed. Severus was stoking the fire with a poker.

She placed the now sleeping infant into the basinet before covering her up. Instinctually she leaned down and placed her lips on the babe's forehead.

She dressed for bed, stepping out of the beautiful evening dress and taking out her earrings before placing them carefully back into their box.

Severus watched her with hungry eyes but the basinet stopped him from going to her.

Reluctantly, Severus dressed for bed as well. He laid down and Hermione soon joined him. His stomach chose that moment to remind him that he hadn't had anything other than tea all day.

Hermione grinned. "Hungry, love?"

He grunted in response.

Cocking her head to the side, she let her wand dance in the air. A meal whisked its way upstairs and landed on the bed in front of them.

Severus eyed the little picnic his wife had thoughtfully provided. Everything was finger foods – easily manageable and not messy. Bread and cheese, grapes, stuffed olives, cold roast chicken leftovers from the night before, and a bottle of wine awaited his palate.

They shared the small meal in the comfort of their bed, sneaking kisses between bites. When they'd finished, Severus levitated everything downstairs.

"This was better than Chez Malfoy," Severus commented.

Hermione grinned. "You couldn't possibly know that unless you've been there. Everyone raves about it."

Severus sneered. "It's a Malfoy establishment – what else is there to know? Its rich, overly abundant décor with overpriced food served by stuffshirted little prats who no doubt expect an extravagant tip on top of everything else."

Hermione kissed her husband on the lips. "Precisely. It's my job to ensure that you take me to the most ridiculous place on our anniversary, preferably one that will drive you insane and make you thankful for my questionable cooking skills."

"I do not like this tradition. I propose a picnic in bed for our anniversary henceforth," Severus said.

Hermione grinned. "I suppose that may be agreeable – but then I wouldn't have any excuse to dress up for you – would I?"

Severus was reminded of the way his wife had looked earlier in the evening and his mouth went dry. "Perhaps I spoke too hastily."

"Perhaps," Hermione teased, kissing him again.

Severus wrapped his arms around his witch, reveling in the feel and taste of her. He kissed his way down her perfumed throat, to stop between her breasts and listen to her racing heartbeat.

"Oh Severus," Hermione moaned impatiently.

He grinned and took one of her nipples into his mouth, suckling it hard the way she liked. He tweaked her other nipple between his fingers, plucking at it like a stringed instrument.

Hermione watched her husband with passion filled eyes. He always knew just what to do.

Gradually he made his way down her body, making love to her abdomen and belly button before reaching his destination. She was fragrant, wet and ready for him, but he didn't want to rush things, despite his penis thinking otherwise. He licked his wife's open quim from top to bottom, stopping to swirl his tongue around her clit. She bucked her hips impatiently but he was enjoying the smell and taste of her too much. He spent a good deal of time, licking, nipping, and grazing her clitoris with his tongue before he ended their combined torment by entering her. Her eyes closed and her mouth hung open as he fucked her, holding her wrists between his hands above her head.

Hermione reveled in the feel of Severus inside of her, pounding into her roughly. She wrapped her legs around his slender hips, and silently begged for more. All too soon his rhythm became disjointed and she knew he was close.

"Fill my hot little cunt with your seed. Mark me as yours," she whispered nastily.

He groaned and pounded her harder before his entire body went taut and he came inside of her.

Hermione's muscles clenched around him as he came, causing her to go rigid as she was rocked with perfect spasms.

In the sweaty afterglow of lovemaking, Hermione spooned Severus, wrapping her arm around his chest.

"I love you," she whispered.

"And I you," he answered sleepily.

She waited a few minutes until his breathing became slow and steady.

"I want to have your baby," she whispered against his back.

Severus opened his eyes but did not respond. He didn't trust himself to speak. His thoughts flitted to the sleeping child in their room and away. It was impossible. But maybe, someday…

He no sooner had drifted off to sleep when a crying child woke him. He turned to his wife who was soundly asleep, a riot of curls spilled out across her pillow.

With a sigh he rose and tended to the child. He took her downstairs and changed her nappies, which were wet. She seemed quite content after that. She stared up at him and reached for his nose.

Severus stared at her, shocked that she'd be so impudent. But he allowed it. She squeezed his nose and giggled.

"You think that's funny do you? I'll have you know that this is one of the finest noses for potion-making in the world, young lady."

She squeezed again, viciously.

"You have quite a good grip," he allowed, rubbing his assaulted nose.

She giggled again and Severus gasped. His nose was growing!

He stepped back and took out his wand, fixing it. "Well, I see you're not a squib, little one. That's fortunate for you."

She reached her little arms out and he scowled. "All right, but no telling anyone about this."

He picked her up and she happily pulled at the buttons on his nightshirt. He carried her into the kitchen and began making a bottle one handed. It took a few minutes but soon he had the bottle prepared and he pushed the nipple between her lips. The baby screwed up her face as though she didn't like it but when Severus began to take the bottle away she reached for it.

"Make up your mind," Severus muttered.

The little girl drank the formula slowly until some began to run down her face. Severus took the bottle and placed it in the sink before cleaning her up. He did what he saw Hermione do earlier to burp the baby – only a great deal of wet smelly stuff came out. Severus eyed the mess with disdain and gingerly took the edge of the towel flinging it away into the garbage.

"You're disgusting," he told the child who giggled happily. "Yes, yes, its funny. All right, can I go back to bed now? Will you sleep?"

The child didn't answer but smiled toothlessly at him.

He carried her upstairs and set her into the basinet. She cooed happily when he conjured a stuffed teddy bear for her. But when he walked away she began to cry.

Severus groaned, returning to the basinet. "You have to be quiet. It is sleep time now. Okay? You can torture me more tomorrow."

The baby scowled with teary eyes and reached for him.

"You will sleep now. Do you understand me?" he asked, looking closely at the little girl.

She stared up at him innocently with wide eyes and quivering lips.

"I don't believe that look for a second. Your mum perfected that you know," Severus said crossly before realizing what he'd said.

He shook his head. "I'm just tired – that's all. Didn't mean it," he told the child.

She continued to reach for him and he gave in, picking her up and walking downstairs with her. He sat before the fire, with her cradled in his arms.

Hermione woke up early as usual but was surprised to see that Severus had already gotten up. She checked the basinet and saw that it was empty. She walked downstairs and spied the two of them sitting in Severus' chair. Both were sleeping soundly. Hermione smiled.

She went through her normal routine, but woke Severus before she left.

"Remember, the appointment is at 10:30. I'll be taking lunch in the shop so you won't have to relieve me."

Severus nodded and promptly fell back asleep. He woke later to an unhappy baby.

"What is it?" he asked grumpily.

She stopped crying for a second before letting out a wail of discontent.

"All right, all right. I'm up," Severus grumbled.

He changed her, fed her, and burped her. Unfortunately this left no time for him to shower or eat before the child's appointment.

Feeling cross and out of sorts, he apparated them to the lobby of St. Mungo's. He knew where the pediatric ward was as he'd had to deliver many students there over the years.

He quickly located the appropriate office and was seen immediately.

The child was checked for every sort of ailment imaginable and was also given a bloodlines analysis.

"It seems she is in perfect health Mr. Snape. If you'd be so kind as to continue foster care until we can find her placement that would be most appreciated. Being that she is healthy, and not a squib, we should be able to locate a family fairly soon. Oh, and before I forget, this was sent here today with your name on it. I'll just grab the appropriate paperwork and be right back."

The healer handed a sealed envelope to him addressed to Severus Snape. The writing was his own.

The healer left the room and Severus quickly performed several detection spells as a precaution. It was clean.

He opened the letter nervously and read the contents to himself.

_Severus-_

_Being that we are one and the same person I shall do away with the intrigue and let you know quite clearly what has happened and why. As you know, Hermione first told you of her desire of having children on your ten year anniversary. Being that you love her deeply and wish to provide her with every happiness imaginable, you began working on a potion to reverse your sterility. It took several years but you were in fact, successful. She became pregnant and carried the child to full term. However, there was a complication during the birthing and Hermione had to choose between her life and your child's. Knowing her as you do – I'm sure you know which choice she made. She died so that our daughter could live. But this was unacceptable to me. So I did the only thing I could think of – I went back to Hogwarts and stole a Time Turner from the Headmaster's office. I traveled back in time with my daughter, placing her on the stoop of my former (your current) home. This way, Hermione shall have the child, and will be able to raise her. I trust that you will take care of the necessary legalities in order to "adopt" her. I shall leave it up to you whether you share this information with her. _

_Sincerely,_

_Severus Tobias Snape_

_p.s. Hermione and I settled on a name for her before the birth – Athena. I think the name is fitting. _

_p.s.s. Watch out for your nose – seriously. _

Severus folded the paper and sat for a minute, digesting the information. He looked over at Athena (there was no question of her name really) with shock. He took in the details he hadn't really processed before – the tufts of curly black hair, the warm brown eyes, and the light smattering of freckles on the bridge of her nose. She had a Cheshire smile, the same as her mother.

Severus closed his eyes and schooled his smarting eyes into passivity. He would not cry.

He tucked the letter into his jacket and walked over to his daughter. She was perfect.

The healer came back into the room, holding out a piece of paper and a quil. He glanced at the temporary foster paperwork.

"I will not foster this child," he told the astounded healer, "for she is my daughter and legally mine already."

The healer gaped at him. "But you said this child was placed on your stoop!"

"Indeed."

"And you contacted the Ministry because you wanted…"

"Because I wanted to make sure the Ministry is running as it should. I see that it is. I shall be sending my report to the Minister at once, letting him know what a caring and competently run program the hospital has for orphans."

"But – all of the tests!"

"I'm sure you will find that her DNA is a match for my own. I will compensate the hospital for all of the tests. And now if you'll excuse me, my daughter and I must be on our way."

Hermione arrived home after a long day at the shop. She opened the front door and was assaulted with the smell of a wonderful beef stew. She sniffed appreciatively and walked into the kitchen.

Severus sat with the child on his lap holding a beginners Potion's book. He was reading it aloud.

"And then you take the glass stirring rod and mix it counter-clockwise until it turns a pearly blue before adding the diced beetle's eyes…"

Hermione laughed and Severus looked up at her with a cocked eyebrow.

"Honestly – I think she might be a bit young for that," Hermione said before sitting down at the table. She took a sip from her wine glass. "Mmm. My favorite wine. You shouldn't have!"

"Well – it pairs perfectly with the stew," Severus answered smirking, "and we never really had our Anniversary dinner."

"In that case – thank you. I'm starving! And you know how I love your stew."

"Yes – I do. But before we enjoy dinner, there's something I need to show you," Severus said, pulling something from within his jacket.

He handed her a letter.

She read the contents and tears began rolling down her cheeks. "Is this real? She's…my…our…"

"Yes, it's real, all of it. Blood tests confirmed it. Do you want to hold our daughter?"

Hermione nodded and reached her arms out. Severus placed their daughter in her arms.

"She's perfect," Hermione whispered before holding the little girl to her chest, overcome with joy.

"She's ours," Severus said gently. "Happy Anniversary, Hermione."


End file.
